Miss A Columnist

Jennifer Keck is a freelance writer and translator. Her work has appeared in various publications including The Hartford Business Journal, The Glass Hammer, the Fanm Kanson Network, and Real Atlanta Magazine. You can also follow her on Tumblr at http://thewritingden.tumblr.com. She lives in Queens, NY with her husband and cat.

If you have an New York City charity or cultural event, restaurant, boutique, spa, or salon you would like covered on Miss A, please contact Jennifer at jennifer.keck@gmail.com.

Children’s Healthcare patients (Faces of the Parade) are prominently featured in horse-drawn carriages to lead Santa and Mrs. Claus, Miss Georgia, award-winning marching bands, floats, dance groups and giant helium balloons along the route. The parade begins on Peachtree Street near Baker Street, turns right on Marietta Street and ends on Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

The event is free and open to the public, but front row bleacher seats may be purchased for $15 each. All proceeds will help fund programs and equipment to serve patients and families at Children’s. Funds will go toward:

Clinical research

Children’s Emergency departments, which serve 550 patients each day

Family support services such as chaplaincy, child life specialists and social work

Big Apple Circus Care Unit, a professional troupe of entertainers who use humor to help heal patients and their families

Thanks to generous sponsors and dedicated volunteers, the Children’s Christmas Parade has brought joy and holiday cheer to the Atlanta community year after year. And, although the deadline to participate has passed, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta offers a variety of volunteering opportunities and accepts donations year round.

Children’s Christmas Parade 2011 (Photo Credit: Access Atlanta)

Children’s is a not-for-profit organization that provides specialized care to children from all walks of life. With more than half a million patient visits each year, it is one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country.